Machinery for weaving metal fabric.



J.D.SM1TH.

MACHINERY FOR WBAVING METAL FABRIC.

J. D. SMITH.. A MACHINERY FOR WBAV-ING METAL P ABRIG APPLICATION IILEDJAN.30. 1911. 1,065,561. y 4 Patented June 24,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

L I l a MQ l o .l "HIV E v ZUM/www" A J. D. SMITH. l MACHINERY FORWEAVING METAL FABRIC. APPLICATION FILE) JAN. 30, 1911.

1,065,561 Patented June 24,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

` i JMJ/MHZ@ MM I 4 'y strands that are interlaced to mond mesh fabric.

'metal fabric weaving machine having its narran' srarns rarnnr carica.

JAMES D". SMITH, or CHICAGO, ILLINors,

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ASSIGNOR TOv FRANKLIN P. SMITH, OF

MACHINERY FOIR/VVELAVING METAL FABRIC.

To 62N- whom, it may concern.'

Be it known that. I, JAMES D. SMITH, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in'the countyof Cook and State` of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Machinery for `l/Veaving MetalFabric, of which the following is aspecification. r

This invention relates to machinery for weaving metal fabric,particularly' metal fabric of thatA class comprising diagonal formquadcommonly known as dia- Metal fabric of this kind is made of wires orrods of largeor small diameter, and considerable diiiiculty isexperienced in weaving theheavier grades rangular meshes,

of'fabric of this kind.

The object. of this invention isto provide a simple metal fabric weavingmachine` whereby diamond mesh fabric 'of'continuous length may be wovenfrom. short length wires or rods thus affording a great saving of timeand labor.

To such ends4 this invention consists in a weaving mechanism obliquelydisposed with respect to a line running longitudinally of the completedfabric, said mechanism being provided with slidable heddles for'guiding-certain of the wires or rods to the fabric .l inoblique lines,whereby .angularly disposed wires or rods of shortlength, may beinterlaced t'o forni a'fabric of continuous length.

4The invention further consists in the novel features of construction,arrangement and combination of part-s hereinafter set forth andparticularly defined in the claims i The invention is clearlyillustrated in the drawings furnished herewith, of Which- Figure 1 is ayplan of a machine embodying my invention, with the supporting arms ofthe harness and hatten shown in horizontal sectiongfa section of thefabric, part of which is in the course of construction appears in theview, Figa 2 is a plan .of a fragment of the fabric made by the machine,Fig. 3 is side elevation of a fragment of ,one of the Vwires or rods. ofthe fabric, Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the machine looking in thedirection of thearrow 4, in Fig. 1, Fig. -5 is a perspective view of afragmentof a carrying bar of the harness, Fig. Gis a perspective view ofa Vgroup of connected the width of the fabric.

- with an oblique end, the holding means alone heddles, Fig. 7 is an endview of a fragment Specification of Letters Patent.- Patente (11.31111624, 1913. Application filed January 30, 1911. Serial 110.605,36. i

of one section of the naruess, Fig. 8 is a view partly in side elevationand partly in vertical section of a carrying bar and two groups ofheddles, theline of section being indicated at 8-8 Fig. 7, Fig.9 is aface view of the harness as viewed from the sec# tion line 9-9 of Fig.4, Fig. 10 is a face view of 'the ba'tlen as viewed from the sectionline 10-1O of Fig. 4, Fig. 1l is a. detail, vertical cross section takenon thtl line 1l*11 of Fig. 10, andFig. 12 is a detail vertical crosssection taken on the line 1:'2`12 .of Fig. 10.

In constructing t diamond mesh metal fabric of anyY given width. byhand, the wires or rods are first kinked and cut to lengths. The lengthof a wire or rod and its angular position. in the fabric, determine Anumber of wires are arranged parallel with each other and oblique-withrespect to the length of the fabric, and other. wires arranged crosswiseof the rst'set midway between their ends, and interlaced therewitl.Other wires are added and interlaced to complete the fabric.

In using this machine, double lengthwires' or wires whose length is anymultiple of 'a single length wire` are employed in the construction ofthe fabric, one partof each -wire being placed in a diagonal line vinthe fabric, and the other .parts of the wires being. cut ofi' duringfabrication to provide wires for Y the other diagonal direction. Forconvenience I'will term the long wires or rods 'Y double length wiresand the short or severed port-ions single length wires.

Referring to said drawings which illustrate a simple form of theinvention. a. table or platform is represented at 13, said tableVv beingmounted upon legs 14. and having its 95 end adjacent to the weavingmechanism of the machine, obliquely disposed. as seen at 15 (Fig. `1).The angle of the oblidue table end 15, is fixed as thatangle assumed byone set of the diagonal wires of the completed fabric, and the battenand harnessare arranged approximately parallel with said oblique end 15,as seen inFig. 1, On the ob- Y lique end-means are provided for holdingthe fabric position during the course of'f105 construction, oneform' ofmeans comprising upwardly projecting pins 33. v Itis obvious that inplace of providing lthe table itself may extend obliquely` with'frspett0 then@ length of the fabric, deposited upon the table from the weavingmechanism, and. in that case the latter should extend approxi.- matelyparallel with said holding means.

Beside the oblique holding means is the harness lil, for guiding thedouble length wires or rods, said harness acting to for'm a shed 7through which the single length `lwires. are vinserted ybetweenv thedouble length wires. Said liarness-isshown :is having two sets ofheddles 1G, 17, that are slidably mounted 'inA carrier .bars 1S,supported in any desirable manner, as for instance by arms 19, connectedto the ends of oscillatory cross bars 20, tulcrumcd intermediate'theirends on suitably supported brackets 2l. In the formshown, the carrierbars of the heddles are arranged abovethe work and the arms extendupward therefrom to the bars 20, the brackets 2l, being supported fromabove, as for instance by bolting theinto a support above the bars 2C'.For convenience the lower ends of the 'arms may be guided by loops 22,sliding upon said arms and arranged toinaintain the two scctions of theharness in spaced relation to each other.

The heddles-of each section of thehar- -ness are. arranged to travelfrom one end of the carrier bar 18, to the other end in the operation ofthe machine, and for convenience the heddles are arranged in groups'v.connected together as byV a connecting bar 23, secured to theirupperends (seen in Fig. 6). Each group of heddles is guided. to movealong its carrier bar and as shown a `"convenient means foraccomplishing this result comprises a horizontal 9 roove23EL in thecarrier bar adapted to receive one flange of the heddle connecting bar23.A The particular construction of said carrier bar isv immaterial tothe invention, broadly speaking, and I have shown lit built up of'anglcirons (see Fig. 7) to formI the l. shaped groove for guiding theheddlesiii their movement from one end of the carrier bar to the other. Eachheddle .has an eye 24, at its lower end for receiving and guiding thedouble length wires. For' convenience,

an opening 25, is provided in the lieddle,y

intowhich may be hooked the end of a link 26, which extends upward froma trcadle 27. ln the form of machine illustrated there are fourtreadles, and the links are hooked into the openings 25, of the heddlesat the end of the harness. Normally both sections of the harness wouldlie opposite each other, that is, in the same horizontal plane, but forthe purpose of illustration, one section is shown as depressed and theother .raised to separate the wires to form the shed, it beingunderstood that depression of lone of the treadles will draw down onesectionr ,ofthe harness swinging the bars 20, upon `their fulcrums, andraising the other section- `mesh and width of the harness. its iscustomary, the heddlcs of one section are offset or staggered withrespect to theheddles of the other section, so that the alternate wireswill be raised and lowered. in unison, in opposition to the intermediatewires.

The hatten l?, is located between the harness and oblique securingmeans," and is shown as carried by arms 28, extending down from levers27, said levers being fulcrumed between their ends on brackets 29,

supported in any suitable manner, A cross bar 30,.cf,ninects the lowerends ofthe arnis 2S, and projecting' down from said bai 30,

are pin or prongs 3l, that ext-end down betweeii the double length wiresvand enwith the single length wire to force it into place. A'hundle,preferably ,inthe forni of a bail B2, is employed for swinging inehatten, said bail being loosely connected to the cross bar 30, as 'shownin Fig'. 11,

whereby it may have a limited amount of vertical. movement, and becapable of falling in front of the positioning" pins f th at project upfrom the end of the table 13. By swinging the hatten toward the harness(see full lines Fig. Ll) and dropping the handle in front of the pinsthe hatten is held in position, ready for the insertion of the singlelength wire. The b atten may be vided for lwithdrawingA the hattenV'from the 'work and as shown a simple form of means comprises a wire orother coiii'iect'ing device 34, extending each 'lever 2 7, andj havingan eye, ar-

ranged to be hooked upona hook 36, secured` in the floor. By drawingdown .both con;- nectinfa` devices, 34,- and hooking the eyes uponlthehooks 36,1 the levers 27, are swung upon their fulcrums, the arms. 281aised and the battenlifted clear of the work.

The prongs' are shown as stationarily se-' but it is ob- -cured in thesupporting bar, vious that they may beadjustable or movable as are theheddles 16, and likewise arranged in connected groups.

Beyond the harness are placed one or more supports 37 for-receiving andcarrying the ends of the double length wires during the process of'forming `the metal fabric. Any desirable form of support may of coursebe employed for this purpose.

.ln constructing metall fabric with this machine, kinke'd wires areused,each wire being twice tlielength of wire,required in a fabric of anygiven-width, or wires any desired multiple of that length are used, andthe proper number (depending upon 4the ofthe fabric) threaded throughthe eyes of the hcddles, bring-ing one end of each wire to a line on thetable coinciding with the far edge (as viewed in Fig. l) of the fabricto be constructed. The

down from the free end of.

.drawn forward. first disengaging the handle -from the pins lt/leans'are proioo `taires',embraced inthe groups lettered A, B, :Cz compriselthe ,number of double length .wires required to `tineke-.one diagonalsecthe required number of single length Wires .oblique end 'its ofsingle length l'Wires D, is then `and correspond tothe numbers in thegroup .JA y01' C.

The number of Wires in the groups A, 0,1), may be increasedordiminished, depending upon the space between the of the table and thehatten, caire being taken to not completely build up said space beforeadvancing the finished fabric for making 'the next succeeding section.Either before or after the double length Wires have been placed, t-hoseembraced in the groups A, B, are interlaced With short length Wires inthat portion of their length lying on the table, this being done by handin the usual Way, merely for the purpose of starting the fabric. Thismay le done by cutting oft the longest piece of wire lying on the'table,and interlacing it with the others, then cutting off the next longestone and interlacing it with the others and so on until a square,finished end is completed. Ob-- viously this is not necessary tothe@peration of the machine, but for the purpose or economy, the fabric maybe thus started asx none of the material is Wasted.. A group forstarting the manufacture of the fabric by the machine. The hatten isthenswung back' into the position shown in full lines in Fig. at, and thetreadles of one harness section depressed vby the attendantstherebeingitivoin .the operation of the machine of the form shown. Depressionof said treadle causes apde'pression of the harness section directlyconnected therewith, and a corresponding raising of the other harnesssecvtfiointhus forming a shed between the alternate andintermediateivires. Une attendant then inserts a single length Wire(indicated by dotted lines c) through the shed in front of the hattenprongs, after which the attendants raise the handle and draw the Wirebetween the alternate and intermediate double length Wires until itreaches the .proper position relative to the .next adjaceiit-,previouslyinserted single length Wire., The remaining Wires of the group D, are

inserted and .crowded to place, each-succeeding Wire of the group beinginserted far enough to reach that. double length Wire next to theoneivhere the endofthe previoiisly inserted short 'length Wire stopped,

have been inserted and so that When` all of said -short length Wirescrowded to place, their ends Will lie in lines coincident with the edgesof .the completed fabric, as shown b v-vthe group of Wires indicated indotted lines at D, lt is of Course underStOOd that prepared ,the.harness is yoperated to raise one series of the double length Wires andlowerf the other series for rone si iig-le length Wire and there- Vafterto lower the first series and raise the other series for the secndsingle length Wire and so on to effect the interlacing with the singlelength Wires. The attendant on the near side of the machine then cutsolf the Wires of the finished fabric, draws them out ofvtliceyes -of theheddles which guided them, after which they are used to build up anotherdiagoiial section of the fabric, The attendant unhooks the links 26,from the heddles and removes the two groups of lieddles at t-he end ofthe harness Where the groups of Wires A, extended, said groupssequentily other vside of the machine. The batteri .is then raised .outof the Work by pulling down group A, at the edge of theA of h'eddlesbeing subg inserted in the carrier bars lat thev theconnecting devices34, and securing it in group A, and the far Wires moving away.

double length Wires ioo from their original posit-ion, leaving a space'formerly occupied -by the group C. The

attendant on the opposite side of the niachine heddles into the carrierbars so as to occupy the space left by the advancement ofthe heddlestherein, and tlien'inserts a group of wires C) through the eyes of saidgroups of heddles, bringing the ends of the Wires into alinernent withthe far edge of t-he finished fabric. The former operation ofinsortingthe single 'length Wires is then' repeated.

y F rom the above it is obvious thatl metal fabric havinginterlaced'diagonal strands may be made economically in continuouslength from short Wires. or rods. to usedouble length Wireor rods forthe sake of economy, as the severed portions of novvinserts thepreviously removed I prefer the Wires or rods areconveniently used inoperated on by the machine ;t desire .tube

but the use of double i understood that the machine may he einployed forwea ying; ahric of light construe tion" in which the Strands are notneceasarlly lkinlied prior to being; icd into the machine.

l l rThe maehine iS however particularly adaptn i edffor use inweavinfr,metal vfabric 'from l wires or rods; ot Suliicient stillnees`to he inserted through the shed without the aid of a Qthuttle.

l realize that yarions alterations and modifications of this device arepossihlc without departing' frointhe Spirit of my ini vention.l and l donot therefore desire tol limit myself to the exact torni of construeltion/Shown and C escrihed.

claim as new and desire to secure hy Lett' rs Patenti: l

l. fin a weaving' maehine, a harness Secl ytion eoniprieing' a Carrierhar having` lonegil tudinal guiding means, a plurality ot. rigid morahleheddles arranged in groups and each having' an eye therein for thereception ot a f'ahric wire, Said heddlcs being tree and unconnected atone end, and hars rigidly connecting' the other ends of the heddles ot icaeh group, and havingA means cooperatingT with the guidingy means onthe carrier har to slidahly connect the heddies therewith.

inf a machine for weaving diagonal; Strand fabric, the combination witha snpport arranged. to receive the completed fahric woven hy themachine, and nieane' tor temporarily holdingl said fabric in place, ol5y harness mechanism arranged approximately l parallel with one series ofthe diagonal Strands of the fabric and comprising' two vertieallyreciprocahle open-ended trackways, heddles guided to rnoye therein.supporting` meehanimn 'for said traclwa-ys, ineluding nuans torreversing the direction ot' movement ot one tracltway with respect tothe other and treadles for each traeliway whereby either lraeltway mayoe drawn dowmvard.

3. ln a machine 'torweaying diagonal strand tatu-ie. the comhinationwith a support arranged to receire completed fabric woven hy themachine, of a pair ot Vertr eally reciprocal opeirended tracliwars ar-'ranged approximately parallel with one serien at the diagonal strands ofthe fabric, supporting hars theretor. each piyoted midway between ita1end,; .y and links conructine' the ends olf said haray with Saidtraeltways, wherehy movement ol one traeltwmT 'is re- 1 versed withrespectto the nioyement or" the i l i otoer trai xway, slidahle wireguiding heildles earried hy Said tracliwayS. and trcadhw connected toeach traekwz y whereby eith n' one oi the. latter may he depreSfeed,

ln witnOSS \.\i'hereoty l have hereunto l Signed my name at Chicago,@ook county,

lllinoia, thiS 271th day of January ltill.

.lrlil'lll'l D. Shillrlll.

lVi tn eSSeS t

